The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA has arrested a notorious drug baron and former Vice Chairman of Lagos Island East Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Mr Asekun Kehinde Sakiru, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos.
Asekun has been on the wanted list of the Agency following the recent arrest of some traffickers and drug seizures linked to him.
This is contained in a press statement by the Director of Media and Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, Mr Femi Babafemi.
According to the statement “The long arm of the law however caught up with the wanted baron at about 9.40pm on Friday 7th May, 2021 while trying to board a Virgin Atlantic airline flight to London, United Kingdom at the Lagos airport.
“At the point of his arrest, Asekun was caught with a kilogramme of cocaine concealed in five pairs of palm slippers packed inside his suitcase. He has been on the wanted list of the MMIA Command of the Agency in connection to a case involving one Azeez Adeniyi Ibrahim who was arrested with 6.45kg of cocaine in December 2020.”
During preliminary investigation, it was gathered that;“The London based baron is a seasoned politician. He was at different times between 2004 and 2014 the Vice Chairman of Lagos Island East LCDA. He had also contested and lost elections for House of Representatives in 2007 and Lagos State House of Assembly in 2015.
“Although, he claims to be an international businessman who deals in automobiles, investigation is yet to confirm that to be the source of his acquired wealth.
“In the course of tracking him, the sum of N131million was seized from his account and another N14 million also blocked in the account of one of his traffickers, Azeez Adeniyi Ibrahim, bringing the total sum so far recovered from him to N145 million.” The statement said.
While commending the officers and men of the MMIA Command of the Agency for resilience and dedication to duty, the Chief Executive of NDLEA, Mohammed Buba Marwa said “With the support of all stakeholders, the problem of drug trafficking and abuse in Nigeria will be drastically reduced very soon.”
“This arrest is yet another message and red alert to those still in this criminal trade whether as barons or traffickers that they will soon enter the dragnet of the Agency, daily being spread across the country, if they fail to back out especially now that we are moving all out for the barons and the big cartels while we continue to reign in the traffickers.” Marwa warned
In another development the NDLEA, has warned job seekers and candidates scheduled for screening as narcotic officers and narcotic assistants in Abuja and Jos from next week, not to fall for some scammers sending them messages to demand for any payment from them.
The Director Media and Advocacy NDLEA Headquarters Abuja Mr Femi Babafemi disclosed this in a press statement.
“Our attention has been drawn to some messages being sent round to some shortlisted candidates and other job seekers to make payment into some phony bank accounts to secure them employment slot.
“Of particular interest is a message that reads: You are to come with medical certificate of fitness, guarantor form, credentials, registration slip and writing materials to ndlea academy katon rikkos, lamingo road jos plateau state. Name Ali Imran Musa/Acct No 2191549625 Bank Name U.B.A Bank/Phone No 07084068948.” The statement read in part.
The NDLEA also added that; “Shortlisted candidates, other job seekers and the general public should please note that the NDLEA will not ask for payment from anyone seeking to work in the Agency and are therefore urged to discountenance this fraudulent message and similar ones.”
Meanwhile, Marwa has directed the Agency’s Directorate of Intelligence to track and apprehend fraudsters behind the scam messages.
PIAK
